Suburbicon
Directed by George Clooney
- thriller
- crime
- drama
- mystery
The story
In the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and murder.
What it’s like
Bright, flat daylight over manicured lawns, pastel houses and immaculate picket fences, shot in clean, symmetrical compositions that make every suburban street look staged for a catalogue. Its palette runs on mint greens, pale yellows and crisp white, with the 1950s surface kept glossy and sunny while darker shadows gather at its edges. Camera work is measured and composed, with carefully held frames, dolly moves and a score of jaunty, faintly ominous jazz that undercuts the calm. The vibe is sunny unease: a cheerful veneer cracking under deadpan cruelty. It suits a lazy afternoon or a late-night watch when you want stylised, mordant black comedy rather than tension that makes you flinch. Pacing is brisk and sly, and the tone is cool and ironic, with a family's cosy routines curdling into escalating panic, guilt and greed. Violence is sudden and bloody, including a few brutal killings, and some scenes carry sharp menace, but the gore is played for shock and satire rather than lingering dread. Best for viewers who enjoy Coen-style absurdity, sardonic humour and a picture-perfect surface built to be pulled apart.
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